Premier says Festival Parade move ‘just a proposal’
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley said that the announcement by Junior Minister for Culture and Tourism Luce Hodge-Smith about a move of the Emancipation Festival parade from its traditional August Monday slot to a Saturday has not been finalised and remains under discussion.
The clarification came during a recent interview amid public criticism following statements suggesting the parade could be shifted.
“I see it just as a proposal, and I believe that we need to have some more dialogue about it before we make any firm decisions on it,” Dr Wheatley told the Honestly Speaking radio programme recently.
The Premier said he has encouraged Hodge-Smith to gather public feedback before any decision is taken. “I encouraged the minister to do a survey so we can get some feedback from the public,” Dr Wheatley said.
He added that residents should participate in the consultation process and share their views on possible changes to the festival schedule.
“All persons have to do is participate in that survey and have some more dialogue about how we improve our celebrations,” Premier Wheatley stated.
The proposal sparked considerable debate, particularly among residents who argue that the parade’s traditional timing is tied to the territory’s emancipation history.
During the interview, Dr Wheatley explained that the historical connection is more closely linked to the Rise and Shine Tramp rather than the parade itself.
According to the Premier, Hodge-Smith has indicated that the Rise & Shine Tramp reflects the early celebrations that followed news of emancipation.
“She has informed me numerous times that when they got news of freedom and they were dancing in the street, that’s really what we look at today as the rise and shine tramp,” Dr Wheatley said.
He added that the junior minister believes the Rise & Shine Tramp should remain on the traditional Monday because of its historical significance.
“That’s the event that shouldn’t move from the Monday for historical reasons,” Dr Wheatley said.
The Premier also noted that the proposal to move the parade is intended to address logistical issues that arise each year when both events occur on the same day.
“A lot of persons who are in the parade also go to the Rise & Shine Tramp, and every year the parade starts late as a result of that,” Dr Wheatley stated.
He said the proposal was put forward as a potential solution to those delays but stressed that discussions are ongoing.
“This is something that we remain in discussions with,” Dr Wheatley said.
The Festival parade remains one of the main events of the territory’s annual celebrations, which commemorate the emancipation of enslaved Africans in the Virgin Islands in 1834.
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That is not how they announced it. It sounded like a done deal to me. This government does things without thinking them through and when the public set them straight, they run and change it. Stop doing things without thinkingVIP
Agree. I listened to her and she did say they were going to change it to the Saturday and see how it works. If it didn’t then they would go back to the drawing board. These politicians lie too much. Same way she said the queen came in 1963.
It better be because majority HATE it. Change is good. But don’t reinvent the wheel.
Hon. Premier, with respect, some of the information given, especially by the Junior Minister, is not in keeping with our history. The announcement was made on 1st August, so why not have the rise and shine tramp on that day? The Monday parade started with the Anglican Church, by a priest who was assigned to St. George’s church in the 1930s. He used the hosting of a queen pageant to raise funds to repair the church. Thereafter, on August Monday he got the winning queen and the other contestants to parade to what was the then festival ground (where the Road Town Primary school used to be), now occupied by the BVI High School in the vicinity of the tent and surrounding area. This activity took place in the 1930s and after that the parade and festival was shared by the Anglican and Methodist churches until later years when it was run by other civic minded groups. So, my suggestion is that if the Proclamation was read on 1st August, then hold the Rise and Shine Tramp on that day!
Due to the significance of August 1st, hold the rise and shine tramp on 1st August each year regardless of the day of the week…. those who wish to participate can take the day off (vacation day)from work. Clear the street by 8:30 am for those who have to traverse to work. Have the parade on August Monday as usual.
The rise and shine tramp is more sacred, but still today, you have all kinds of vulgarity and profanity going on in it.
The whole celebration has lost its meaning. Also, other races, including whites who were slaves in the past.
I dont see them celebrating their freedom. Why are we living in the past?
Luce said it was done deal. Now you want to come with your damage control. You already agreed and now see the backlash and trying to save face for a decision you’ve already made. A tramp is easier to reschedule than a parade. You guys are thinking about a tourism carnival when we have an emancipation festival for locals. What about Carrot bay? I see disregard for Sea Cows Bay horse racing and Carrot bay festivities by this govt. Only considering economic activity for the East communities. Can’t think leadership.
I listened to the press conference and Mrs Hodge said clearly that ‘the decision has been made’. So who lie?
Even if you need to re-examine, no problem. The Tuesday is also a holiday and we no longer have the watersports, so change the parade day to August Tuesday. Most of our visitors arrive and leave by August Wednesday
Ayo can’t see this man is a habitual and pathological li**!
We have ago government that don’t care aratsass about us. Always making decisions without our input.
As an adult who spent most childhood summers here I have no recollection of a rise and shine tramp. That’s relatively new. I know of Jouvert in Antigua and other places. You go to church then you go to a party and after that is the tramp. In the BVI, particularly Tortola there was Torchlight Parade on Sunday night. We got our torches from Paramount Grocery in the Plaza, lined up at the Post Office or Old Admin Building and went up Main Street. On Monday there was a parade. Now some of us have used the three day holiday to go on vacation because what we began to see had nothing to do with our culture and is actually distasteful. My last parade I saw what looked like a lot of imported women bending over with men wuking up behind them. There were elderly people and children watching that. A lady of blessed memory actually chased those people from in front of us. We just making up our culture as we go along. It’s as if we don’t know who we are or where we came from. Which may be why are are who we are now, we are totally freaking confused about who we are. How did Rise and Shine replace Torch Light Parade. Is it that you can’t throw powder (A trinidadian custom) or paint with black oil (a another Caribbean custom) or throw water, another Caribbean custom. We even have started using colored powders, an East Indian Custom. We have infused other cultures into our own, which now have become more important than the one we had. Our is probably too tame and not enough fun. Ours didn’t include dry sex in the street. By the time the Parade gets to QE II park most are drunk already and all inhibitions are thrown off. Now everything is show me the money, show me the Benjamins. Make up your mind, it is cultural immersion we seek or how much money we can get out of a thing. If we have Rise and Shine on Monday and Festival Parade on Saturday, do we have Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday off, go back to work Thursday and Friday and then have a parade on Saturday? Or are we just off all week? Has the business community, the pillars of our economy been consulted on this? I doubt they were consulted when we closed down the city for a tramp from a cruise ship. We closed schools, banks, offices to do that. Was it worth it financially or are we looking down the road at how that might benefit us long term? I doubt that. Should entertainment tourism as it is called eclipse Financial Services? Because that’s how you are paying the country’s bills. If you want flesh and feathers, ok. No problem. All of us don’t have to participate. But call it what it is. Culture it is not. It’s a bacchanal. Like the Romans used to have. Lots to eat and especially drink all while being naked and dancing. Who are these “leaders” consulting with on these matters? Why do they feel it’s their right to do a Trump on everyone and decide we doing this and BOOM we doing it whether you like it or not. If it works, well it’s a done deal and if it doesn’t we go back to status quo. Lord sen help.
Indecision may or may not be your problem